The World's Heaviest Pumpkin Record Fell Twice in One Week. The New Giant Weighs 3,156 Pounds

Picture a pumpkin so big that you could not wrap your arms around it, not even close. A pumpkin that weighs more than a small car. Now picture two of them breaking the world record in the same week.

That is exactly what happened this October. According to Guinness World Records, the title for the world's heaviest pumpkin changed hands twice in just seven days, and the new champion is the first pumpkin ever to top 3,000 pounds.

The week the record fell twice

Round one: England

On October 3, at a competition in Berkshire, UK, grower Ian Paton weighed in a pumpkin nicknamed "Bagheera" at 1,295.8 kg (2,856 lb 12.8 oz). That beat the previous record of 2,819 lb 4 oz, set by Ian and his twin brother Stuart with a pumpkin called "Muggle" and ratified in October 2025.

A new world record. For about a week.

Round two: Rhode Island

On October 10, at the Southern New England Giant Pumpkin Weigh Off at Frerichs Farm near Warren, Rhode Island, Ron Wallace put his pumpkin on the scale. It came in at 1,431.5 kg (3,156 lb), beating Bagheera by roughly 300 pounds.

Officials from the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth, the organization that oversees giant pumpkin competitions, assessed the giant. Head judge Matthew DeBacco told Guinness it was astonishing "to see what nature can produce."

A grower who keeps breaking barriers

This is not Ron Wallace's first time at the top. According to Guinness, he has now held the heaviest pumpkin title three times, and each time he crossed a new milestone:

• 2006: 1,502 lb, the first pumpkin over 1,500 pounds

• 2012: 2,009 lb, the first over 2,000 pounds

• 2026: 3,156 lb, the first over 3,000 pounds

Wallace, who runs an online gardening supply business, has been growing giant pumpkins for about 35 years. He was inspired by his father, who was an early giant pumpkin grower in New England.

What made the difference this year?

Wallace credits two things. First, 2026 was his first year growing in a greenhouse, and he said the weather was near perfect for most of the season.

Second, and this is the part I love, he credits the community. In an interview reported by Gulf News, he said that the only way to create a 3,000-pound pumpkin is "a community working together." Giant pumpkin growers are known for sharing tips, advice and even seeds with each other.

Did you know? A few giant pumpkin facts

• The previous same-day double record happened on October 2, 1999, when the record fell first in the UK and then in the USA.

• The longest reign as record holder belongs to Belgian farmer Mathias Willemijns, whose 2,624.6 lb pumpkin held the title for almost five years, from 2016 to 2021.

• The Paton twins still hold the record for the largest pumpkin by circumference: about 21 feet 4 inches around. Wallace's new champion measured about 21 feet.

Want to try growing a giant yourself?

Wallace's advice for beginners is surprisingly encouraging:

1. Start small. He says you can begin with as little as 150 square feet of space.

2. Join the community. The Great Pumpkin Commonwealth has an online community where beginners can find mentoring and seeds.

3. Find a local club. Many regions have giant pumpkin clubs and weigh-offs where you can learn from experienced growers.

4. Be patient. Wallace has been at this for 35 years. Your first pumpkin does not need to break a record to be a win.

The bottom line

In one wild week, the world's heaviest pumpkin record fell twice, and a Rhode Island grower pushed it past 3,000 pounds for the first time in history. It is a reminder that patience, a little luck with the weather and a generous community can grow something truly enormous.

Have you ever grown a pumpkin, or seen a giant one at a fair? Tell me about it in the comments.

This story was written with the help of AI tools. Sources: Guinness World Records, "Pumpkinpalooza!: how the world's biggest pumpkin record fell twice in one week" (October 2026), and Gulf News, "1,432kg pumpkin grown in Rhode Island is inspected for possible world record" (October 13, 2026).